By Juliana Stumpp

Co-A&E Editor

For many of us, we hear Thanksgiving and immediately think of football, the Macy’s Day Parade and all of our favorite foods, of course.

However, many tend to forget the intended reason for this holiday. This year, enjoy the holiday with loved traditions, but think of the true meaning behind Thanksgiving. Be selfless and get involved in your community by helping others.

Step 1: Reflect on your past experiences
Before you can go out and help others, you need to have a good sense of who you are and what you believe in.  Looking back on your past or family background can help you identify what is best for you. If family members have had cancer, then get involved in the American Cancer Society, but if you aren’t a dog lover, then it probably isn’t a good idea to volunteer at a dog shelter. It’s all about knowing what you stand for and what you are willing to spend your time doing.

Step 2: Motivation
It’s so easy to say you will help others and take action, but many times very few do. Everyone has his or her own version of motivation. If you are the type that is sensitive, then try thinking about something or someone you really love, and focus on using your time on others who might not have that. Search inspiring quotes and understand what they mean. Motivation can come from anything and everything.

Step 3: Research
The Internet is where we spend most of our time because it seems like every answer for everything is on there. Visit some websites designed to help you find a perfect match based on your interests and location. It’s completely personalized and offers lots of results so you can try different things. Try one of the following sites to get started:
www.volunteermatch.org
www.serve.gov
www.aarp.org

Step 4: Honesty
If one volunteer experience doesn’t go as planned, don’t let that discourage you. There are thousands of more opportunities that could use your helping hand. Be honest about your experience; if you walk away thinking negative thoughts, then odds are it wasn’t for you. Think about what you would have liked to happen instead and make those changes next time to the best of your ability.

Keep in mind that volunteering isn’t about feeling better about yourself, but using the best of your abilities to help serve others because you genuinely care. On campus, we have the Civility Campaign that strives on the values “care, empathy and respect.” This mantra also comes hand in hand when doing selfless acts for others. Get involved with the campaign at www.csusm.edu/civility and make sure to think of all you are thankful for this Thanksgiving season.